


Just Chess

by Dreamy_Serenade



Category: X-Men: First Class (2011) RPF
Genre: Chess, First Kiss, Getting Together, Kissing, Lots of kissing, M/M, Romance, Tenderness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-18
Updated: 2016-08-18
Packaged: 2018-08-09 13:22:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,575
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7803577
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dreamy_Serenade/pseuds/Dreamy_Serenade
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After all the rigorous training he has to supervise during the day, Charles likes to wind down the evenings with a few games of chess, preferably with Erik, who was rapidly becoming his usual chess partner. It was a shame Erik had such a hard time beating him, though. At least he seemed to enjoy himself as much as Charles did.</p>
<p>Though, with all those unspoken feelings, good and bad, swirling around in his heart, Charles had to wonder whether Erik really did.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Just Chess

**Author's Note:**

> UPDATE 8/24/16: Thank you so much for your comments and kudos and all the lovely ways you guys have been supportive of me! It brings me great joy to be able to share my writing with you all, and I'm so glad you've enjoyed this little fic as much as I have. <3  
> I made a few changes here and there (thank you to @sickdreamsaremadeofthis, who left a wonderfully insightful and supportive comment that gave me the encouragement and nitpicking I needed <3 )! The most major one is in the detail- I added quite a bit of inner dialogue with Charles, which I hope gives insight and improves upon the story rather than detracts from it. If it happens to detract, though, please feel free to say so!  
> Again: Thank you, thank you, thank you, so very much, you guys. :')  
> -  
> This is something I whipped together a few days after watching X-men: First Class for the first time. I've seen the first three X-Men movies as well as the recent X-Men movies that have come out, Days of Future Past and Apocalypse, but somehow I never got to see First Class?? So I watched it and I found myself so, so endeared by Charles and Erik's relationship in that movie that I couldn't /not/ write something for it.  
> So here I am, posting a spontaneous fic for a movie I saw 3 days ago after like 5+ years of trying to write decent enough fanfiction to share with the Internet, good god.
> 
> Anyway! Here, Internet, have this. Hope ya like it. <3

"Checkmate."   
  
"Damn," Erik cursed, but there was no malice to it. His eyes were alight with amusement as Charles gently tipped his queen, a grin spread wide across Charles' smug face. He chuckled, and Erik shook his head. "I actually thought I might win that one."   
  
"You're very welcome to try again, if you like," Charles shrugged, feigning innocence. Erik only shook his head again, a chuckle rising in his throat. It made Charles beam. Erik's genuine laughter was a rare sight, indeed, and Charles loved every second he was allowed the privilege to hear it.   
  
"No, no," Erik replied, holding up his hands in a show of defeat, leaning back comfortably in his chair. "I've had my fill for tonight, I think."   
  
Charles settled back, legs crossed and cheek resting on his hand. He cocked an eyebrow playfully. The very sight of mischief, Erik thought. "My, are you sure?" Charles asked teasingly.   
  
"Mostly," Erik replied with a mock grimness, grinning.   
  
"It seems as though you haven't satiated your appetite for victory quite yet."   
  
For a moment Erik only raised his eyebrows. He rested his elbows on his knees and his chin on the backs of his hands, tilting his head at Charles. Charles felt a blush creep up his neck under the heavy weight of that gaze, and it didn't help when he realized what he might have just implicated.   
  
"You think so?" Erik's eyes were half-lidded but his gaze was piercing. Charles had a hard time understanding exactly what that meant, but it at least sounded like Erik might actually be flirting back. Heaven help him.

Somewhere, he wished he didn’t have to be so nervous. It wasn’t like him; it felt foreign and not necessarily unwelcome, but certainly unnerving. Charles held the sensation of being unraveled like a ball of yarn, delicate strands giving way more and more quickly as he tried to pull it back together, to no avail. He knew exactly what he needed to calm himself, but he was wary of even hinting at the notion. It wasn’t something he could ask of Erik, not when Charles had specifically promised not to go knocking on mental doors purposefully closed to him.   


In spite of his sudden shift in thought and the ache it left him, Charles smiled a genuine smile, grateful for the soft and open expression he found on Erik’s face. Perhaps he understood. "Dare I say it, it seemed as though you were having fun," Charles said, much gentler than he intended. It made him very glad to see Erik let himself go just a little, more glad than he imagined he could express in words. Erik was something special, a diamond in the rough. Charles knew it, felt it.   
  
Charles didn't want to see that diamond buried beneath the hell that was Erik's pained past.   
  
Erik blinked, losing any indication of flirtatiousness. He stared into Charles' eyes for a long time, his expression unreadable. Charles worried he might have overstepped, coming too close to the walls that Erik had let down for him. After a while he couldn't help but squirm under the pressure of being watched for so long, but he didn't break eye contact. Eventually, Erik did.   
  
"I very much enjoy your company, Charles," came Erik's voice, quieter than he expected. It made butterflies flutter about Charles' stomach. He had imagined that Erik enjoyed his company to some extent, but it was one thing to notice that Erik had offhandedly taken his shoes off at their feet during a chess game, or to once find a similar pair of shoes still obediently awaiting their owner’s return the next morning. Those were silly, little mishaps that Charles would chuckle at while he went to fetch a cup of tea. It was entirely something else to hear Erik say it.   
  
"As I do yours," Charles returned warmly. "You, sir, are quite lovely." He had meant to say something else, but the words had tumbled out of his mouth before he could swallow them.   
  
Now, he did swallow as he watched Erik's eyebrows shot up. "Lovely?" he asked, thoroughly surprised.   
  
For a moment Charles was stunned silent, and then suddenly he was laughing nervously and stammering, trying to simply begin to clarify what he meant without implicating any sort of unnecessary feelings that he was most certainly terrified of sharing- he had very few and unreliable inklings about what was going on in Erik’s head, and he wasn’t sure he trusted any of them. All his sputtering was probably gibberish, or just as good as, by the blank look on Erik's face.   
  
"I don't think lovely describes me very well," Erik admitted, cutting into Charles' scrambling. That got Charles to pause- he sounded just a tad disappointed. That was unacceptable. As frightened as he felt, sharing his feelings with a man who had every right to shun him or ignore him or, worse, leave him, Charles wanted him to at least understand.   
  
So, Charles downed the rest of his tea in an attempt to fortify himself. "I think you are the loveliest," Charles declared in a matter-of-fact tone as he set down his teacup. He dared to meet Erik’s eyes.   
  
"How is that?" Erik countered, the corners of his lips twitching into a smile. His heart was thudding hard in his chest, but still Charles was relieved to see that smile. It helped him muster up the courage to keep from leaving the room in a hurry, mortified by his own embarrassment. In spite of his thoughts of fleeing, Charles thought well about his answer, slightly reassured.   
  
“Honestly? I don’t know,” came his very well thought out, intelligent answer as he averted his eyes to the fireplace across the room. “Not precisely,” he continued, a little quieter.  _ You are beautiful and perfect in every single way _ ; the words came quickly and easily, but even as admonishment flared in his mind at the words, he couldn’t have clamped down on the mirth betrayed in his eyes. “But I relish the time I spend with you. You intrigue me more every time I speak with you. I always crave to learn more.” Charles looked back to Erik, trying to read his expression. He was leaning into his palm, arm resting on the side of the chair he sat in. His eyes were half-lidded, piercing but still soft somehow. Still open. Charles found himself adoring that lovely shade of green.   
  
Erik gave a breathy chuckle, so soft Charles could only just hear it. “I suppose. Do you enjoy studying me, Professor?”   
  
“Thoroughly,” Charles replied, thoroughly flushed. He hoped that being called by his hard earned title wouldn’t get him this flustered in the future. Though, somehow he imagined that wouldn’t be a problem. At least, not a serious one.   
  
Erik was quiet for a time, leaving Charles to fester among his own, increasingly harried thoughts. He wasn’t sure if he was pursuing this fruitfully or not. He was waiting for an indicative answer from Erik, or perhaps a direct question, as Charles was not keen on bluntly asking whether or not Erik was interested in him in that way. Especially given how flustered he had already gotten. Goodness, he was a mess. He couldn’t even look Erik in the eye right now, instead letting himself be very interested in the carpet.   
  
Finally, Erik cleared his throat, and Charles eyes shot back to him. His eyes widened at the sight of a steady flush working its way up Erik’s neck. “I appreciate the sentiment, though I’m not sure how you expect me to believe you without any real reasoning.” There was a twinkle in his eye. “Perhaps you should convince me.”   
  
“Convince you?” Charles returned, huffing. “I’m trying.” And feeling quite the fool for it. Really, Charles. “Words are useful tools to express oneself, but sometimes they are nothing but a hindrance.”   
  
“What’s the phrase? Cat has your tongue?” There was too much amusement in Erik’s voice. Charles risked a glare at him, little bark and no bite attached to it. Erik was smiling like the mischievous cat he was, and Charles was sure he knew it by this point. He was just toying with him now.   
  
Charles eyed him pointedly. “Perhaps,” he admitted, chewing on his lip. He wasn’t sure what to say beyond that. There was more he wanted to say, but he wasn’t sure how to frame it, and he wasn’t sure whether Erik was going to be straightforward with him or run around in more flirtatious circles that would leave Charles too flustered to pursue the conversation further.   
  
“Perhaps,” Erik began, slowly, deliberating, “you should not use your words, then.” He licked his lips, and Charles agonizingly followed the motion. “Perhaps,” he continued, “you should show me.”   
  
Charles bit his lip to keep himself from whimpering aloud. Erik was enjoying every moment of Charles’ suffering, he just knew it. The very picture made him weak- Erik’s pose was still reclined and casual but his eyes were boring into Charles. He was no longer smirking but his lips were just slightly perked and looked oh so inviting.   
  
Charles knew exactly what he meant but he couldn’t help but ask. “Show you?” Erik hummed in agreement, the smirk returning. It was just enough to get Charles to stand. Whether it was out of spite or out of desperate need to kiss Erik on the mouth , Charles didn’t know, but he walked around the chess table and paused in front of Erik’s chair. Charles placed a tentative hand on its back to steady himself.   
  
“Are you sure?” he pressed, leaning in closer but still a safe distance away. Even now he didn’t feel sure about what Erik was feeling. Charles knew very well what he himself was feeling, what he wanted, but he didn’t want to be a regret. He wanted to be someone who stood with Erik and supported him even if he didn’t always need it, to be someone who bettered Erik’s life rather than someone who soured it.   
  
Erik looked up at Charles with scrutiny, his voice serious. “Are you?”   
  
“Entirely.”   
  
“Then what are you afraid of?”   
  
“Losing you.”   
  
Eyes softening, Erik reached for Charles’ free hand and took it gingerly in his. He brought it to his lips and kissed it. He brought Charles’ hand down, rubbing his thumb over the knuckles. “I am not leaving,” Erik murmured. “So you need not be afraid. And you need not ask,” he added, eyes flicking down to Charles’ lips. “So, please-”   
  
Charles didn’t let him finish. He kissed Erik, a chaste peck at the corner of his lips. Erik quickly went silent, and when Charles trailed soft kisses across his cheek he let out a sigh, sounding as relieved as Charles felt. He placed a kiss at the tender place beneath Erik’s ear and then paused, pressing his forehead to Erik’s. Charles admired the flutter of his eyelashes as they opened, closer than Charles had ever seen them and infinitely more intense. He breathed a stuttering breath as Erik murmured his name, and Erik closed the distance between them, kissed Charles. His lips were firm but soft, softer than Charles had imagined, and he was kissing Erik, and it was wonderful.   
  
At first it was soft and slow, and when Charles leaned back for a proper breath Erik chased him, craning his neck to nuzzle his nose. Erik hummed, disappointed. “Charles,” he murmured as Charles beamed at him, eyes shining, and laughed softly. Erik lifted heavy lids to glare at him.   
  
“Something amusing?”   
  
“Not at all,” Charles said, only barely able to reign in what he imagined to be giddy laughter, allowing only a breathy chuckle to escape him and not embarrass him any further. “I’m just, quite happy right now.” Erik looked at him for a long time, and Charles found himself breathless. They were close, so close that Charles could feel Erik’s breath on his check, so close that he could lean just an inch and kiss him again. He wanted to, but he waited. He was rewarded with a chaste kiss on the lips and a hand combing through the side of his hair.   
  
“You are a wonder to me, Charles,” Erik said, eyes full of reverence. Seeing such a look in his eyes made Charles’ heart swell, and he smiled wide, basking in the feeling. He planted a kiss on Erik’s upper lip.   
  
“As are you to me, have you forgotten?” he teased, and Erik barked out a laugh.   
  
“No, no I haven't,” he mused in return, running his fingers over the hand he still held. He brought his other hand up to Charles’ face, brushing his thumb over his cheek. Charles turned to kiss its palm.   
  
“I surely hope not, my friend,” Charles murmured. He relished in all of these wonderful sensations- of Erik’s hands holding his and cradling his face, the pleasant scratchiness of Erik’s stubble, the feeling of Erik’s breath on his skin. Charles felt so lucky to have been able to experience this, to share this experience with Erik.   
  
But of course, everything must come to an end. Both Charles and Eric turned as the clock chimed twelve o’clock. As it finished, Erik turned back to him, brushing a stray hair from Charles’ face. “It’s late,” Erik said simply, and Charles couldn’t help but feel disappointed, as reasonable an observation as that was. He knew very well just how important it was for everyone to be at their best during these times, especially them. They played such a crucial part in all this, after all. He brushed his fingers across Erik’s cheek, not letting the looming thought of their situation sour the moment. “Shall I bid you good night?”   
  
Charles hummed thoughtfully. “It is late,” he acquiesced. Unfortunately, his body had even begun to work against his desire to spend more time with Erik, suddenly heavy with a tiredness Charles hadn’t acknowledged for some time. His mind was much more resilient, thrumming with the thoughts and hopes that his interaction with Erik had gifted him. “Though I would like you to know I have no desire for this to end.”   
  
Erik nodded earnestly, seeming to understand just how much Charles meant that. “I know.” Erik kissed him once more, solidly and firmly and with more insistence than before, as if to say that he wasn’t going anywhere. And he wasn’t, at least not anywhere farther than his room across the hall. Charles was sure of that when the feeling seeped out through the cracks of that closed door and found their way to him.   
  
“See you in the morning?” Charles asked as he handed Erik their long forgotten glasses, now empty of the belly warming scotch they had taken to several hours earlier, long before Charles had made them a pot of chamomile tea a few games in. Erik took the tea set as well, kindly planning to deposit them in the kitchen before he went to bed.   
  
“Yes,” Erik replied with a smile. He planted the gentlest of kisses to Charles cheek, one that made the tips of his ears go red. “Good night, dear Charles.”   
  
“Good night,” Charles murmured as Erik shut the door behind him. His thoughts swirled, only now beginning to try to think of something,  _ anything _ coherent to say about what had just happened. Good God, he would have a lot to think about tonight.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! <3 Constructive criticism and suggestions still welcome! There will be no more changes to this story unless I decide to write a chapter or two more for it, which is possible but I am unsure about it, for the moment. I am mostly trying to move forward with new ideas, which I am glad to say are quickly gaining momentum in their progress. I look forward to sharing more writings here!
> 
> Again, thank you so much for the support. <3


End file.
